Can-opener



(No Model.) w

J. KESSLER 8v 1). R. NELSON.

GAN OPENER.

Patented Dec. 24

AN DREW B.GRAHAM, PHOTO-THO. WASHINGTON 01C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB KESSLER AND DAVID R. NELSON, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE.

CAN-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,064, dated December 24, 1895.

Application filed October 23, 1895.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that we, J AOOB KESSLER and DAVID R. NELSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Knoxville, in the county of Knox and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can- Openers; and we do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to can-openers, and more particularly to that class of can-openers in which a pivoting-arm is adapted to puncture the top of the can and the cutting means rendered adjustable, so as to adapt the opener for cans of different sizes.

It has also for its object to provide a canopener which is simple of construction and can be conveniently and easily operated, and in which the cutting-knife is located upon the handle in such position as to secure the most advantageous results in the operation of the device.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may be made to appear, the invention consists in the construction and also in the arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter more particularly described and then sought to be specifically defined by the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective of the canopener, showing its application for use. Fig. 2 is a bottom perspective of the same; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation, showing in dotted lines the parts adjusted for acan of less diameter than that illustrated.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a pivoting-arm provided at its outer end with an angular puncturing point 2, which is adapted to be inserted in the center of the top of the can to centrally pivot the arm 1. On this arm slides a handle 3, which is provided with an obliquely-set cutting-knife 4 and a depending lug 5, which lug is adapted to bear against the outer periphery or side of the can during the cutting operation.- The handle is cut away at each end, as at 6, so that the pivoting-arm may pass through the handle beneath the level of the upper surface there of, and the under side of the handle is open, as shown at 7 in Fig. 2, so that the fingers of Serial No. 566,613. (No model.)

the hand in grasping the handle may come into contact with the pivoting-arm, so as to control and limit the movement of the handle on the arm when the handle and its knife are being adjusted to cans of different diameter. The movement'of the sliding handle on the arm is limited by the stops 8 placed in each end of the arm so as to abut against the body of the handle in the movement thereof on the arm. The inner face of the handle is provided with an inclined offset 9 formed with a dovetailed groove 10, in which the knife 4 is secured. This knife is also formed with a dovetailed rear portion and has a suitable aperture 11 through its body into which a screw 12 may pass to secure the knife in place in the groove. Any other securing means may be used, however, if found desirable. By this construction the knife is presented obliquely to the top surface of the can to be cut and a very much easier and desirable cutting of the can-top efiected.

The can-opener is applied for use by puncturing the center of the can with the point 2 and then sliding the handle of the pivotingarm until the depending lug upon the handle bears against the outer periphery of the side of the can, when the knife will be pressed into the surface of the can and the opener rotated so as to cut away the top of the can circumferentially. By pressing the depending lug against the side of the can the line of cut of the knife is held regular in its distance from the edge of the can, and the top is neatly and readily removed.

Having described this invention and set forth its merits, what is claimed is- In a can opener, the combination with the pivoting arm provided with a puncturing point, of a sliding handle through which said arm extends, stops located on said arm at the opposite ends thereof to limit the movement of the sliding handle, a knife located on said handle obliquely to the length thereof, and a depending lug on said handle to the rear of said knife, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signa tures in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB KESSLER. DAVID R. NELSON.

Witnesses SAM. T, Horr, E. 1). KEELEY. I 

